House of Colour: Decode the science of color & build a capsule wardrobe that shines
We had a lovely evening this past Wednesday with Amelia Keely of House of Colour Kenmore-Seattle. Guests began the evening with French Blonde cocktails (yummy recipe below) and a little time to mingle and get to know one another.
Following a quick group photo in honor of International Women’s Day, guests took their seats and Amelia dove into the fascinating science of color.
We learned that everyone is born with either a warm or cool skin tone (an undertone that leans blue or yellow). No matter how tan you get in the summer, or pale in the dark days of winter, this undertone remains constant. Because of these undertones your
choice of color, whether through your wardrobe, or your makeup, will have an impact on your appearance.
Choosing and wearing the correct colors can make your skin look smoother and brighter and even lessen the appearance of under-eye bags. Wearing the wrong shade can bring out those blue or yellow undertones which can give you a sallow appearance. Yikes!
All people can be divided into one of four categories, or “Seasons.” And yes- men and even children can have their colors read. Warm Seasons include Autumn and Spring, while Cool Seasons include Winter and Summer. The season that your skin aligns with can help you choose colors that will look best on you. Spring colors tend to be light, bright and splashy, while Autumn colors are more muted, almost as if you took spring colors and dipped them in tea.
While our attendees did not have their colors done to determine their season (this process can take up to two hours and needs to be done during the day using natural lighting), guests learned that even a tiny shift in color can make a drastic change to your appearance. Even if your closet is entirely made up of neutrals, shifting from a true white to an eggshell tone might be the necessary change to looking bright and refreshed.
Did you know that you see color differently depending on what color is next to it?
Fun fact: everyone can wear True Red. Because true red is at the center of the color wheel it does not pull yellow or blue.
“Honor who you are on the inside along with your lifestyle and body architecture so that you can have a style authentically your own.”
Did you know that most people make a first impression of a person within 7 seconds of meeting them? Experiments by Princeton researchers even suggest that people can make accurate judgments of others within 1/10 of a second. Does the way that you dress accurately reflect your personality and the way you want to present yourself to the world?
We spent the second half of our workshop talking about the importance of style, along with ways to add interest to our outfits. Amelia gave guests a check list that included nearly 20 ways to add points of interest to your outfit in order to have a put together look (even if that put together look happens to be an Adidas track suit). Whether you’re heading into a board meeting or to a pilates studio, a few small additions can take you from underdressed to interesting. Adding interest can be as simple as throwing on a pair of sunglasses, some lipstick, a belt, earrings and a jacket. “The way that you add interest is the way you create your signature look,” said Amelia.
Amelia emphasized the importance of embracing your clothing personality so that how you dress and feel aligns with how you want to be seen by others. Did you know most women wear 15% of their wardrobe 85% of the time? Amelia asked attendees to think about what their lives look like. Where do they spend their time? At work? At home? Socializing? There are 5,840 waking hours in a year (assuming you get those full 8 hours of sleep each night). Does your closet accurately reflect the way you spend your time? You should spend most of your clothing budget on clothes that are appropriate for how you spend the majority of your time.
Included in each guests color and style workshop packet was a template and instructions so that they could create a lifestyle wheel to aid in building a capsule wardrobe that fits their own life, rather than a generic guide. If you spend 35% of your time in a formal office settings, 35% of your clothing and budget should be devoted to office appropriate clothing. Additionally, Amelia emphasized the importance of purchasing higher quality clothes (and possibly higher cost), over trendy pieces that you may only get a use or two out of. Don’t get swayed by a cheap price tag, and only purchase an item if it makes you feel like an 8, 9 or 10!
We wrapped up the evening with a quick overview of Clothing Personalities. House of Colour recognizes 23 distinct clothing personalities. Your clothing personality is determined by looking at your personality, your lifestyle and your body architecture. These main categories include Dramatic, Classic, Natural, Gamine, Ingenue, and Romantic.
If you’d like to learn more about your colors, or clothing personality you can reach out to Amelia Keely at House of Colour, Seattle-Kenmore, or other local color reading specialists. Featured recently on the Today show, color analysis is everywhere! Just remember, if everything in your closet falls within the same color family, the items will complement one other. Knowing your color palette can help you build a smarter, capsule wardrobe.
Need a crowd pleasing cocktail for your Oscar’s viewing party? Whip up a batch of refreshing French Blondes. Even those who may not be gin fans are sure to love it. Elevate your cocktail with large square ice cubes garnished with slices of grapefruit. Enjoy!
French Blonde Cocktail Recipe:
INGREDIENTS: 2 oz. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, 2 oz. Lillet Blanc, 1 oz. Hendricks Gin, 1/2 oz. St. Germain, 1/4-1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS: This easy cocktail can be batched in advance and then poured over ice. If you make them to order simply combine ingredients in your cocktail shaker (or mason jar), add ice and shake until well chilled. Can be served as is or over ice.
Shout out to Taylor Swift for introducing us to this delicious cocktail!
Until we gather again!
